![Batdorf & Rodney [Import]](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00000E998.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg)
| 1. Autumn dream Catcher |
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Editorial Reviews
Product Description
2003 reissue of West Coast AOR album from 1971, features nine tracks. Maple/Retrorock.
by most people.
I was lucky to see them play live (by accident) in the 70's.
The guitar playing, the songwriting the singing the performance,
the unusual style of rhythms etc. were simply suburb.
This CD "Off The Shelf" is wonderful to listen to, up beat positive words and music. A must for acoustic guitar lovers to listen to.
The song Home Again is worth the price alone. The interplay of the acoustic guitars and harmonies are some of the best I've ever heard. Just an outstanding song!! These 2 guys can play very melodic and laid back, or really blast it.
Batdorf and Rodney fans....rejoice! They're on CD. No more scratches.
JLMankin
beautifuly in acoustic way.
james lee stanley
That's one of the reasons why "All Wood and Stones" is wonderful for me, because it takes 11 early hits from the Rolling Stones and makes them accessible to me and others like me. Songs I never would have listened to (heard perhaps, but not "listened to") otherwise. What James Lee Stanley and John Batdorf (currently two of my favorite solo artists) bring to these eleven songs is faultless harmony of voice and guitar, clear distinct guitar notes - sometimes in tandem and sometimes in counterpoint, words I can make sense out of, and really cool acoustic guitar and vocal arrangements that bring something new and accessible to the old songs.
I highly recommend this CD to any- and every- music lover throughout the world ("All Wood and Stones" is available worldwide from Aezra Records) whether you're a Rolling Stones fan or not. I'm fairly sure that everyone will find something to like (if not the whole thing!).
"Me and You" is a nice nod to groups like Buffalo Springfield from the mid-'60s. I still can't get over how much John sounds like Graham Nash. I see a lot of CSN parallels in this album.
"I Don't Always Win" has incredible lyrics that keep a balance between honesty and hope. I think of those I know who have dealt with addiction, and in my opinion, John captured this feeling quite well.
The simple acoustic feel of "Ain't It Like Home" is something I don't hear very often anymore, and it's a brilliant vocal and a nice precursor to "Home Again" (even if the other was written first). "Ain't It Like Home" is still looking for home, and the latter has found it.
I absolutely love the lyrics to "Solitude". There are people who constantly miss chances, overwhelmed by stimuli and the demands placed upon them. And sometimes they have a lot of trouble escaping that mindset, even though they wish they could do something about it.
"I Never Wanted" is another one of my favorites. This is a theme often seen in life, but not usually expressed this well in song. There are more striking lyrics here: "I said I never wanted love / But love is the only thing I need."
For someone who didn't want to write an angry song, John and Michael McLean did a fantastic job. The guitar on the chorus of "Can't Be Trusted" especially stands out.
Another favorite of mine is "Something is Slipping Away". I'm fonder of earlier decades than my own, and there's another great lyric here: "And the greatest prize before our eyes / Is given to those who can take without having to give." It's ironic but true. This song has a wonderful melody, too.
"One Night Stands" is really a very clever lyric, and I have to agree with Michael McLean: this *is* the one that gets stuck in my head the most. I'd love to hear this live; I'll bet it draws a real crowd response.
"Where Are You Now?" reminds me a little of the Blue Jays' (Justin Hayward/John Lodge) "Who Are You Now" because they touch on the same theme. Since much of "Home Again" looks back at the past, it makes sense to close with this one.
What really struck me about this album is that I enjoy every single song on it. Not one is filler. I haven't heard all of John's music yet, but I'd have to say that this is my favorite so far.
These B&R songs are naturally the high points of the album but the rest (including another old B&R song, Ain't It like Home) is just as good and enjoyable acoustic music. You won't be disappointed.
This CD - and, I'm discovering, most of the music composed in partnership by John Batdorf and Michael McLean - is about values, morals and ethics, accentuating the `good' in life; an all-encompassing value I can get along with.
I've said once before, in another review, that I am a lyrics fiend. I will be predisposed to liking a song if I read the lyrics and they go along with either my beliefs or my values or hit a chord from something in my life that rings true. It's the lyrics that draw me in. A song can be pretty as all get out, but if the words suck? You won't hear/see me wasting my time with it.
Sometimes you'll hear a lyric that will just be so brilliant that you can't help but note and remember it. Such is the case with the song that starts off this CD, "She's the Girl". Whoever was lucky enough to have this song written for her, wow, okay? The lyrics in here are lovely and my especial favorite is "she's the brush strokes in every Monet" ... being a Monet fan and having been to the gardens that inspired his brushstrokes, well ... what a high compliment.
The brilliant lyrics don't stop here. No, they keep going all throughout the CD, song by song, and that's one of the things that make 'Don't You Know' one of my newest favorites.
There's something about this CD that tells me that you can't "get it" with regard to the emotions and values put forth here unless you've lived some. To back up this thought is the second song, "It's Not Love", which isn't something you're going to really understand unless you'd been there and done that and made it last. It just makes sense. Infatuation, lust, and other possible beginnings to a relationship just don't become real love until the two of you have been at the starting line, run the race, stumbled, fallen and helped each other up and strove to finish the race together.
And then comes "Forgiveness" and here comes another value that may be difficult for many of us, including myself. This is a pretty awesome song and I often wonder about its origins; however, it's fairly generalized. Like I said at the beginning of this paragraph, forgiveness is one of the hardest things to conquer. I have a fence or two in my own background that never really got mended and may never get that repair in the traditional sense. Sometimes, though, you just have to walk away and let it go (but that's another song ... funnily enough, on this very CD!).
After which comes "I Will Not Be Afraid" which now ranks up there with my top favorite songs of all time. When I first heard the song and then bought the CD it became a very big help to me at the time. It remains my belief that certain songs come into your life exactly when you need them and that's what happened with this one. I think I may have worn this track thin. The other impressive thing about this song is that I have noticed that it is on all three available Batdorf and McLean CD's, and John almost always plays it during his live solo spots.
Walking away after you've had your heart broken has never - in my experience - been defined so well in a song until I heard "It's Only My Heart". In my experience, however, I have tended to be the heartbreaker. Which doesn't make the experience any easier; it still hurts, either way. There was one instance that has affected my entire life afterwards. And when I remember how hard it was for him ... I can listen to this song now and understand what he went through. At the same time, I can hear this song from either direction, and understand the pain.
"Promised Land". This is the only song on this CD that skates a little too close to things I'd rather not discuss in public. My promised land is probably a whole helluva lot different from yours. However, the song does address this in sort of an abstract fashion. It's personal. It's inside you. There's no address. You don't have to go to a concrete building and hobnob with costumes and ancient rituals to find it. And that's all I'm going to say about that (because I've probably already said too much already).
"Don't You Know", "Never Had to Ask", and "Heartbeat Away" are three songs that have held up my writing of this review and I realized that it's because I like to listen to them but they're less meaningful to me at the moment than the other songs herein. They're experiences I haven't been close to in a while, so the songs kind of fall across me like mild water until I get to the ones that mean a lot to me.
"How Much Rain". This song comes as close to sarcasm as I've ever heard from John. However, I like it a lot, and it probably defines why the previous three songs don't really make that much of a difference for me right now. For the past 25-odd years I've approached life from a business- and caretaker- perspective. It feels right to me if I'm taking care of my friends and, in reverse, when those people that I count as friends have made a difference for me. But for anyone to try and go deeper than that - well, that's where this song comes in - no one can count that high, no one can go that deep, and no one should even try.
"Let It Go" is the final song on this CD and what a wrap-up to a whole boatload of emotions and inspiration. It does my soul good to know that something that came hard won to me after many years of guilt and soul-searching, is not the mistake that people outside of the experience always told me it was. Sometimes you just have to forgive yourself and then you just have to have the courage to walk away. Forgiveness is not necessarily the same as letting it go; but when you finally do allow yourself the freedom to let go, no matter how painful, you can move forward with your life. Oh, yeah, I've been there once or twice, and learned from it. So it's soul-satisfying to hear "Let It Go" now from musicians I truly respect because it just reinforces something I learned the hard way.
John's voice blows me away. Seriously. It's sort of rough and tumble in a way, slightly reminiscent of singers like Bryan Adams and Don Henley, but with a quality, resonance, and timbre all its own. He sings every song as if he believes in the words he's singing and I have no reason to think that he doesn't. This is not a dishonest person, or an actor singing songs meant to get to you but without feeling behind it. I just think that John and Michael write songs they believe in and John sings them the very same way. Not only does that honesty come across, but it also makes the songs even more inspirational. It makes me want to stop and listen carefully to what's being said.
And then comes the music itself. I think it's important for a song to have a melody that's fairly catchy in order for it to have life beyond the initial writing of it. I can love the lyrics all I want, but if the song as a whole doesn't impress me, then I won't listen to it as often. I can't think of one song, yet, of John and Michael's, that I don't like - it's just that there are some songs that speak more to me and my personal experience than others. I have a lot of CD's and there are specific single pieces of music I listen to when I need to (among them are songs by CSN, Judy Collins, Amanda Marshall, Melissa Etheridge, and Jim Byrnes), things that work well on long drives (Jeff Beck, Jan Hammer, Talking Heads, Indigo Girls, Yes, Genesis, and Van Halen come to mind), and otherwise. There are musicians who are pure perfection in their words and how they stretch their voice and in the execution of their created music. I love bluesy music and bluegrass and some jazz, but none of these have constant staying power for me. None (well, there is one other but his first CD is still forthcoming) till now have come this close to something meaningful to my life - something I can listen to all of the tracks of and get reinforcement from while enjoying the melodies and the voice and the lyrics all at the same time. This is music that will never get old.
I've only heard one other CD of late that comes as close as this one to being a constant favorite of mine. That's one that recently became available, also from John and Michael: 'Batdorf and McLean: The Early Years'. But that's a whole `nuther review (to come).
I wont go into a song by song review because each song is beautifully crafted and sparkles with it's own individual clarity. But I will say that this ep has a freshness that lives and breathes through John's wonderful melodies and sweet, soothing vocals. Vocal harmonies that capture the pure essence of the CS&N flavor. With the flow of acoustic guitars that shine with radiance, played with a shimmering brillance of perfection. So abuntantly pleasing to the ears and to the soul.
I believe once you've given this cd a few plays you will become mesmerized by the quality it posesses. The quality John posesses. I am convinced you will become a huge Batdorf fan yourself. (If you are not one already!) Personally speaking, I love each and every song on this ep, and so much so that I could not pick a favourite. They are all favourites through their distinctive, creative qualities. Even though John's 1st solo cd is only an ep of 5 tracks, they are all excellent songs. Each one enhancing the next. Blending gently to the final track which leaves one with a sense of peace and comfort.( or atleast that is the feeling I get) All Showcasing a most gifted singer/writer/composer/musician. Thank you John for filling a void in me that has been missing for so many years. Exilerating is a good word to describe this cd. Breathtaking is another.
I do hope John is working on a Side Two, or another solo project. I am anxiously awaiting! He and his music are a wonderful inspiration to all.
John posted the song history on the lyrics page of his website (check it out here: http://home.earthlink.net/~batmacmusic/) and I've used that to sometimes balance my review. Okay - so here's my review - song-by-song.
"I Found You": I have to admit that I wasn't that fond of this song the first few times I heard it. But it's growing on me now. I read the lyrics before and I'm hearing them in context now and as the artist says, it's a fun, very upbeat song. It's not my favorite, but hey, when an artist has as much to offer as this one, they can't all be favorites. And despite my opinion, it's an easy listen.
"All For You": I remember the first time John played this one live at one of the "All Wood and Stones" shows. Over the course of the next several shows, his explanation for the song began to come together as he told it to the various audiences. I do know that every time I hear the song, I get chills. I can see it from the point of view of the unknown soldier in any war but more specifically maybe in the Civil War, in Vietnam, and now, in Iraq. It's as if it were a letter home via a song - except it's a letter home in a much broader sense since the soldier is not just addressing his family but those in the country he's defending. Having been to the various memorials in D.C., this song now prompts a short movie in my minds-eye which includes panning over the lengthy extent of graves of the unknown soldiers. In my opinion, this song is worthy of a lot of thought and public critical attention.
"Only Seventeen": The first couple of times I heard this one, I thought (and said to some of my friends): "He must've seen a friend of mine at the local 7/11 when she was 17" because I'm fairly sure that she looked then the way she looks now - a whole helluva lot older than her real age. So after reading John's explanation for the song, yeah - I can see that! Also the musical influences - I heard them too - especially CSN. I like this song; it's fun in an up-beat light-hearted way.
"One of the Lucky Ones": One of the first things that struck me about this song is that it tells a full story - I love when a song does that - within a few short verses and choruses, some songs tell a story better than a 15-page "short" story or even an 800-page novel. From that writing perspective, such a narrative needs to have a beginning, middle and an end with a plot and a high point right before the conclusion. This song does that, and perhaps that part of it excites me from the literary standpoint. In addition, the musical narrative moves right alongside the story.
The song raises a question: a question almost anyone could ask: "Why am I one of the lucky ones?" The first few times I heard the song, I wondered which catastrophe was the inspiration. It turns out, from John's explanation, that it was inspired by the aftermath of the tsunami; but the truth of the matter is that the song works across the board - for anything bad that has happened anywhere and at any time within the last five years till very recently. I'm sure there are people of all ages and walks of life out there right now thinking, "Why them? Why not me? And what can I do to help?"
Besides raising the question of "Why them and not me?" the song then takes the main character through several emotions including relief at being lucky, and then to guilt and finally to the knowledge that the fact that he was one of the lucky ones gives him the ability to help the ones who weren't so lucky in the first place. How many others would have taken that good luck and turned and walked away?
Like "All For You", I think that "One of the Lucky Ones" is worthy of a lot more thought and public critical attention.
"See Us Shine": One of my all-time favorite songs has always been "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" so it's no real quandary to figure out why I like "See Us Shine" so much. This song feeds right into what I believe about the human race - no matter class or sex or religion or political views - no matter where we come from or the color of our face - we are all the same at the very core of ourselves and if we tap the innermost part of ourselves and do the right thing whenever needed, we can shine, we can rise above the hatred and the worst parts of humanity, and then there might be hope for the world. Yeah. And what a terrific positive way to end a great 5-song EP. With hope for a brighter tomorrow.
Thank you, John Batdorf. You've delivered. And then some.
2003 reissue of West Coast AOR album from 1971, features nine tracks. Maple/Retrorock.
Batdorf & Rodney,Batdorf & Rodney,Maple Leaf,Pop,Popular Music,Rock/Pop
Batdorf & Rodney [Import]
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Off the Shelf
Batdorf & Rodney Manufacturer: Collector's Choice ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD  General
| Alternative Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Singer-Songwriters
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Soft Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
General
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
Rock
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ASIN: B000A7BB9M Release Date: 2005-10-25 |
Tracks:
- Oh My Surprise
- Me And My Guitar
- Can You See Him
- Workin' Man, Blind Man
- You Are The One
- Don't You Hear Me Callin'
- Where Were You And I
- Never See His Face Again
- One Day
- Farm
- Let Me Go
Product Description
1. Oh My Surprise
2. Me And My Guitar
3. Can You See Him
4. Workin’ Man, Blind Man
5. You Are The One
6. Don’t You Hear Me Callin’
7. Where Were You And I
8. Never See His Face Again
9. One Day
10. Farm
11. Let Me Go
Format: CD
Customer Reviews:
A Brilliant Follow-up.......2007-03-06
Finally!.......2007-01-22
A gem to discover.......2005-12-24
Best Acoustic Singer-Songwriter-Guitar Player Duo of the 70's.......2005-10-31
by most people.
I was lucky to see them play live (by accident) in the 70's.
The guitar playing, the songwriting the singing the performance,
the unusual style of rhythms etc. were simply suburb.
This CD "Off The Shelf" is wonderful to listen to, up beat positive words and music. A must for acoustic guitar lovers to listen to.
Average customer rating:
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Batdorf & Rodney
Batdorf & Rodney Manufacturer: Collector's Choice ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| Alternative Rock
| Styles
| Music
Singer-Songwriters
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Soft Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
General
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
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ASIN: B000A7BB9W Release Date: 2005-10-25 |
Tracks:
- Poor Man's Dream
- Oh, Can You Tell Me
- Between The Ages
- Home Again
- By Today
- Happy Town
- All I Need
- Under Fire
- Let Me Live The Life
Product Description
1. Poor Man’s Dream
2. Oh, Can You Tell Me
3. Between The Ages
4. Home Again
5. By Today
6. Happy Town
7. All I Need
8. Under Five
9. Let Me Live The Life
Format: CD
Customer Reviews:
Buy This CD!!.......2007-06-27
The song Home Again is worth the price alone. The interplay of the acoustic guitars and harmonies are some of the best I've ever heard. Just an outstanding song!! These 2 guys can play very melodic and laid back, or really blast it.
Batdorf and Rodney fans....rejoice! They're on CD. No more scratches.
JLMankin
As Good as FolkRock Gets.......2007-03-06
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All Wood and Stones
John Batdorf & James Lee Stanley Manufacturer: Beachwood Recordings ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| Alternative Rock
| Styles
| Music
General
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Tributes
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
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ASIN: B000AQACMA Release Date: 2005-09-13 |
Tracks:
- Paint It Black
- Ruby Tuesday
- Satisfaction
- Under My Thumb
- Let's Spend The Night Together
- Mother's Little Helper
- Back Street Girl
- Last Time
- Have You Seen Your Mother Baby?
- 19th Nervous Breakdown
- As Tears Go By
Album Description
With All Wood and Stones, veteran composers/vocalists/musicians John Batdorf and James Lee Stanley have taken songs that are practically hard-wired into our collective pop culture consciousness and put a uniquely fresh spin on them. That these songs are vintage Rolling Stones masterpieces composed by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards makes the duo's sonic reinvention of them all the more remarkable. It's almost as if the tracks are from an alternate universe where Mick and Keith hailed from Southern California instead of the U.K. Featuring crystal-clear yet atmospheric acoustic renderings of eleven gems from the Jagger-Richards songbook, the disc's magic revolves around Batdorf and Stanley's supple new arrangements, virtuoso guitar exchanges and almost dreamlike, harmonic vocals. John Batdorf (Batdorf & Rodney) and James Lee Stanley (after years has successfully avoided fame until now), are wonderful singers and guitar players. These are eleven of their favorite Rolling Stones songs, arranged by James and John in the studio, just playing and singing until the songs evolved into what we are presenting here. The songs are the stars, their timelessness enhanced by the mellow yet elegant simplicity of All Wood and Stones' presentation.Customer Reviews:
Old Music perfectly refreshed .......2006-03-24
beautifuly in acoustic way.
All Wood & Stones - John Batdorf.......2006-03-04
new arrangements of rolling stones classic fresh, familiar and fantastic.......2006-01-22
james lee stanley and john batdorf triumph.......2006-01-06
james lee stanley
All Wood and Stones.......2005-12-06
That's one of the reasons why "All Wood and Stones" is wonderful for me, because it takes 11 early hits from the Rolling Stones and makes them accessible to me and others like me. Songs I never would have listened to (heard perhaps, but not "listened to") otherwise. What James Lee Stanley and John Batdorf (currently two of my favorite solo artists) bring to these eleven songs is faultless harmony of voice and guitar, clear distinct guitar notes - sometimes in tandem and sometimes in counterpoint, words I can make sense out of, and really cool acoustic guitar and vocal arrangements that bring something new and accessible to the old songs.
I highly recommend this CD to any- and every- music lover throughout the world ("All Wood and Stones" is available worldwide from Aezra Records) whether you're a Rolling Stones fan or not. I'm fairly sure that everyone will find something to like (if not the whole thing!).
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John Batdorf_Home Again
John Batdorf Manufacturer: BatMac Music ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Acoustic Blues
| Blues
| Styles
| Music
Similar Items:
ASIN: B000MI2IIM |
Product Description
Listening to Home Again is like finding a lost buried musical treasure. This CD has all the familiarity of arguably the greatest musical era, the late 60s and early 70's but with fresh new original songs that brings it all to the present. Home Again is a must have CD for all music lovers!Customer Reviews:
John Badorf Brings Us Home Again.......2007-04-13
Home Again: Every Song Is Worth It.......2007-03-23
"Me and You" is a nice nod to groups like Buffalo Springfield from the mid-'60s. I still can't get over how much John sounds like Graham Nash. I see a lot of CSN parallels in this album.
"I Don't Always Win" has incredible lyrics that keep a balance between honesty and hope. I think of those I know who have dealt with addiction, and in my opinion, John captured this feeling quite well.
The simple acoustic feel of "Ain't It Like Home" is something I don't hear very often anymore, and it's a brilliant vocal and a nice precursor to "Home Again" (even if the other was written first). "Ain't It Like Home" is still looking for home, and the latter has found it.
I absolutely love the lyrics to "Solitude". There are people who constantly miss chances, overwhelmed by stimuli and the demands placed upon them. And sometimes they have a lot of trouble escaping that mindset, even though they wish they could do something about it.
"I Never Wanted" is another one of my favorites. This is a theme often seen in life, but not usually expressed this well in song. There are more striking lyrics here: "I said I never wanted love / But love is the only thing I need."
For someone who didn't want to write an angry song, John and Michael McLean did a fantastic job. The guitar on the chorus of "Can't Be Trusted" especially stands out.
Another favorite of mine is "Something is Slipping Away". I'm fonder of earlier decades than my own, and there's another great lyric here: "And the greatest prize before our eyes / Is given to those who can take without having to give." It's ironic but true. This song has a wonderful melody, too.
"One Night Stands" is really a very clever lyric, and I have to agree with Michael McLean: this *is* the one that gets stuck in my head the most. I'd love to hear this live; I'll bet it draws a real crowd response.
"Where Are You Now?" reminds me a little of the Blue Jays' (Justin Hayward/John Lodge) "Who Are You Now" because they touch on the same theme. Since much of "Home Again" looks back at the past, it makes sense to close with this one.
What really struck me about this album is that I enjoy every single song on it. Not one is filler. I haven't heard all of John's music yet, but I'd have to say that this is my favorite so far.
Whoa!!!.......2007-02-15
Best music by John Batdorf ever.......2007-02-12
Welcome back, Batdorf & Rodney.......2007-02-07
These B&R songs are naturally the high points of the album but the rest (including another old B&R song, Ain't It like Home) is just as good and enjoyable acoustic music. You won't be disappointed.
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Life Is You
Batdorf & Rodney Manufacturer: Arista ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Singer-Songwriters
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Soft Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Rock
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ASIN: B00004WL90 Release Date: 2000-10-13 |
Tracks:
- Life Is You
- Long Way from Heaven
- You Are a Song
- To a Gentler Time
- Grab at a Straw
- She Made Me Smile/Caught in the Rain
- Is It Love
- Another Part of Me
- Ain't It Like Home
Customer Reviews:
am i sleeping....am i in a dream....am i finding things that.......2005-06-12
Horribly remastered!.......2005-02-23
Always loved the harmonies..........2004-12-17
Off The Shelf.......2003-04-11
Finally Batdorf&Rodney.......2002-01-17
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Batdorf & Rodney
Batdorf & Rodney Manufacturer: Maple Leaf ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Meditation
| New Age
| Styles
| Music
General
| Rock
| Styles
| Music
Pop Rock
| Pop
| Styles
| Music
Rock
| Imports
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ASIN: B00000E998 Release Date: 1998-03-24 |
Tracks:
- Autumn dream Catcher
- Back Roads
- We'll Go No More A-Roving
Album Description
2003 reissue of West Coast AOR album from 1971, features nine tracks. Maple/Retrorock.Album Details
Digitally Remastered Edition of the Second Album from the Soft Rock Duo was Released on Asylum Records, a More Appropriate Home for the Pair as Acoustic Music of the Time Had Found a Niche with David Geffen's Boutique Label Where it Might Be Better Exploited. The Songs "Poor Man's Dream" and "Home Again" Received Airplay on FM Radio, but their Songs Never Broke Through to the Top of the Pop Charts.Customer Reviews:
not so.......2005-09-12
This is not Batdorf and Rodney!!!!!!.......2005-06-15
Batdorf & Rodney.......2004-10-28
Don't go by the Real Player Samples.......2004-10-26
About Time.......2004-06-11
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Don't You Know
Batdorf & McLean Manufacturer: Bonneville / Bwe ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Copland
| Copland, Aaron
| ( C )
| Featured Composers, A-Z
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All Works by Handel
| Handel, George Frideric
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All Works by Hanson
| Hanson, Howard
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All Works by Thompson
| Thompson, Randall
| ( T )
| Featured Composers, A-Z
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All Works by Rachmaninov
| Rachmaninov, Sergei
| ( R )
| Featured Composers, A-Z
| Classical
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| Baroque (c.1600-1750)
| Historical Periods
| Classical
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Chamber Music
| Forms & Genres
| Modern, 20th, & 21st Century
| Historical Periods
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Vocal & Song
| Modern, 20th, & 21st Century
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Mormon Tabernacle Choir
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| Sacred & Religious
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ASIN: B00000586M Release Date: 1997-07-22 |
Tracks:
- She's The Girl
- It's Not Love
- Forgiveness
- I Will Not Be Afraid
- It's Only My Heart
- Promised Land
- Don't You Know
- Never Had To Ask
- Haertbeat Away
- How Much Rain
- Let It Go
Customer Reviews:
It's About Values, a fan review for "Don't You Know" .......2005-11-05
This CD - and, I'm discovering, most of the music composed in partnership by John Batdorf and Michael McLean - is about values, morals and ethics, accentuating the `good' in life; an all-encompassing value I can get along with.
I've said once before, in another review, that I am a lyrics fiend. I will be predisposed to liking a song if I read the lyrics and they go along with either my beliefs or my values or hit a chord from something in my life that rings true. It's the lyrics that draw me in. A song can be pretty as all get out, but if the words suck? You won't hear/see me wasting my time with it.
Sometimes you'll hear a lyric that will just be so brilliant that you can't help but note and remember it. Such is the case with the song that starts off this CD, "She's the Girl". Whoever was lucky enough to have this song written for her, wow, okay? The lyrics in here are lovely and my especial favorite is "she's the brush strokes in every Monet" ... being a Monet fan and having been to the gardens that inspired his brushstrokes, well ... what a high compliment.
The brilliant lyrics don't stop here. No, they keep going all throughout the CD, song by song, and that's one of the things that make 'Don't You Know' one of my newest favorites.
There's something about this CD that tells me that you can't "get it" with regard to the emotions and values put forth here unless you've lived some. To back up this thought is the second song, "It's Not Love", which isn't something you're going to really understand unless you'd been there and done that and made it last. It just makes sense. Infatuation, lust, and other possible beginnings to a relationship just don't become real love until the two of you have been at the starting line, run the race, stumbled, fallen and helped each other up and strove to finish the race together.
And then comes "Forgiveness" and here comes another value that may be difficult for many of us, including myself. This is a pretty awesome song and I often wonder about its origins; however, it's fairly generalized. Like I said at the beginning of this paragraph, forgiveness is one of the hardest things to conquer. I have a fence or two in my own background that never really got mended and may never get that repair in the traditional sense. Sometimes, though, you just have to walk away and let it go (but that's another song ... funnily enough, on this very CD!).
After which comes "I Will Not Be Afraid" which now ranks up there with my top favorite songs of all time. When I first heard the song and then bought the CD it became a very big help to me at the time. It remains my belief that certain songs come into your life exactly when you need them and that's what happened with this one. I think I may have worn this track thin. The other impressive thing about this song is that I have noticed that it is on all three available Batdorf and McLean CD's, and John almost always plays it during his live solo spots.
Walking away after you've had your heart broken has never - in my experience - been defined so well in a song until I heard "It's Only My Heart". In my experience, however, I have tended to be the heartbreaker. Which doesn't make the experience any easier; it still hurts, either way. There was one instance that has affected my entire life afterwards. And when I remember how hard it was for him ... I can listen to this song now and understand what he went through. At the same time, I can hear this song from either direction, and understand the pain.
"Promised Land". This is the only song on this CD that skates a little too close to things I'd rather not discuss in public. My promised land is probably a whole helluva lot different from yours. However, the song does address this in sort of an abstract fashion. It's personal. It's inside you. There's no address. You don't have to go to a concrete building and hobnob with costumes and ancient rituals to find it. And that's all I'm going to say about that (because I've probably already said too much already).
"Don't You Know", "Never Had to Ask", and "Heartbeat Away" are three songs that have held up my writing of this review and I realized that it's because I like to listen to them but they're less meaningful to me at the moment than the other songs herein. They're experiences I haven't been close to in a while, so the songs kind of fall across me like mild water until I get to the ones that mean a lot to me.
"How Much Rain". This song comes as close to sarcasm as I've ever heard from John. However, I like it a lot, and it probably defines why the previous three songs don't really make that much of a difference for me right now. For the past 25-odd years I've approached life from a business- and caretaker- perspective. It feels right to me if I'm taking care of my friends and, in reverse, when those people that I count as friends have made a difference for me. But for anyone to try and go deeper than that - well, that's where this song comes in - no one can count that high, no one can go that deep, and no one should even try.
"Let It Go" is the final song on this CD and what a wrap-up to a whole boatload of emotions and inspiration. It does my soul good to know that something that came hard won to me after many years of guilt and soul-searching, is not the mistake that people outside of the experience always told me it was. Sometimes you just have to forgive yourself and then you just have to have the courage to walk away. Forgiveness is not necessarily the same as letting it go; but when you finally do allow yourself the freedom to let go, no matter how painful, you can move forward with your life. Oh, yeah, I've been there once or twice, and learned from it. So it's soul-satisfying to hear "Let It Go" now from musicians I truly respect because it just reinforces something I learned the hard way.
John's voice blows me away. Seriously. It's sort of rough and tumble in a way, slightly reminiscent of singers like Bryan Adams and Don Henley, but with a quality, resonance, and timbre all its own. He sings every song as if he believes in the words he's singing and I have no reason to think that he doesn't. This is not a dishonest person, or an actor singing songs meant to get to you but without feeling behind it. I just think that John and Michael write songs they believe in and John sings them the very same way. Not only does that honesty come across, but it also makes the songs even more inspirational. It makes me want to stop and listen carefully to what's being said.
And then comes the music itself. I think it's important for a song to have a melody that's fairly catchy in order for it to have life beyond the initial writing of it. I can love the lyrics all I want, but if the song as a whole doesn't impress me, then I won't listen to it as often. I can't think of one song, yet, of John and Michael's, that I don't like - it's just that there are some songs that speak more to me and my personal experience than others. I have a lot of CD's and there are specific single pieces of music I listen to when I need to (among them are songs by CSN, Judy Collins, Amanda Marshall, Melissa Etheridge, and Jim Byrnes), things that work well on long drives (Jeff Beck, Jan Hammer, Talking Heads, Indigo Girls, Yes, Genesis, and Van Halen come to mind), and otherwise. There are musicians who are pure perfection in their words and how they stretch their voice and in the execution of their created music. I love bluesy music and bluegrass and some jazz, but none of these have constant staying power for me. None (well, there is one other but his first CD is still forthcoming) till now have come this close to something meaningful to my life - something I can listen to all of the tracks of and get reinforcement from while enjoying the melodies and the voice and the lyrics all at the same time. This is music that will never get old.
I've only heard one other CD of late that comes as close as this one to being a constant favorite of mine. That's one that recently became available, also from John and Michael: 'Batdorf and McLean: The Early Years'. But that's a whole `nuther review (to come).
Don't You Know.......2003-02-14
Good But It's Not Batdorf&Rodney !!!!.......2002-02-02
Missing the energy.......2000-02-01
You guys are right!.......1999-10-09
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Batdorf and Rodney / Live at McCabes 1975
Manufacturer: It's About Music ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000BRBWF4 |
Product Description
"Batdorf And Rodney" Live at McCabe's Guitar Shop 1975: I have played live music at some of the greatest venues in the country but there was always something special about playing at McCabes. When 1975 rolled around and we had just finished mixing "Life Is You", we booked a weekend at McCabes. We did two shows a night and every show was completely sold out with standing room only. One of the attendees that weekend was none other than Henry Winkler, "The Fonz"! This concert was taped right off the sound board by Mike Holm, a good friend of mine who worked there with his wife Suzanne. This show was the fourth of four and as you will hear from this performance, lets just say I was very relaxed!!! This is the only live concert that I am aware of that exists. Mark and I performed with just our bass player, Rick Carlos. The mix wasnt perfect on the 30 year old stereo two track 3 3/4 ips tape, but I was able to digitize and clean it up and I must say, it is very very tight considering just how relaxed we all were... I usually never said much in between songs but this night was different. Maybe it was a full moon that night or something... but whatever it was, hearing this show really makes me smile. I think anyone who was a B&R fan will be affected the same way too! John Batdorf http://www.mccabes.com/perflist.html Please listen first at: http://store.yahoo.com/itsaboutmusic/johnbatdorf.html|
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John Batdorf : Side One
Manufacturer: BatMac Music ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000BCGENY |
Product Description
This is a brand new personally autographed five song solo EP/CD from John Batdorf. Please give it a listen at: http://store.yahoo.com/itsaboutmusic/johnbatdorf.htmlCustomer Reviews:
sweet sounds of a smile.......2005-12-19
John Batdorf - Side One ep solo cd.......2005-10-05
I wont go into a song by song review because each song is beautifully crafted and sparkles with it's own individual clarity. But I will say that this ep has a freshness that lives and breathes through John's wonderful melodies and sweet, soothing vocals. Vocal harmonies that capture the pure essence of the CS&N flavor. With the flow of acoustic guitars that shine with radiance, played with a shimmering brillance of perfection. So abuntantly pleasing to the ears and to the soul.
I believe once you've given this cd a few plays you will become mesmerized by the quality it posesses. The quality John posesses. I am convinced you will become a huge Batdorf fan yourself. (If you are not one already!) Personally speaking, I love each and every song on this ep, and so much so that I could not pick a favourite. They are all favourites through their distinctive, creative qualities. Even though John's 1st solo cd is only an ep of 5 tracks, they are all excellent songs. Each one enhancing the next. Blending gently to the final track which leaves one with a sense of peace and comfort.( or atleast that is the feeling I get) All Showcasing a most gifted singer/writer/composer/musician. Thank you John for filling a void in me that has been missing for so many years. Exilerating is a good word to describe this cd. Breathtaking is another.
I do hope John is working on a Side Two, or another solo project. I am anxiously awaiting! He and his music are a wonderful inspiration to all.
Side One by John Batdorf - a fan review.......2005-09-29
John posted the song history on the lyrics page of his website (check it out here: http://home.earthlink.net/~batmacmusic/) and I've used that to sometimes balance my review. Okay - so here's my review - song-by-song.
"I Found You": I have to admit that I wasn't that fond of this song the first few times I heard it. But it's growing on me now. I read the lyrics before and I'm hearing them in context now and as the artist says, it's a fun, very upbeat song. It's not my favorite, but hey, when an artist has as much to offer as this one, they can't all be favorites. And despite my opinion, it's an easy listen.
"All For You": I remember the first time John played this one live at one of the "All Wood and Stones" shows. Over the course of the next several shows, his explanation for the song began to come together as he told it to the various audiences. I do know that every time I hear the song, I get chills. I can see it from the point of view of the unknown soldier in any war but more specifically maybe in the Civil War, in Vietnam, and now, in Iraq. It's as if it were a letter home via a song - except it's a letter home in a much broader sense since the soldier is not just addressing his family but those in the country he's defending. Having been to the various memorials in D.C., this song now prompts a short movie in my minds-eye which includes panning over the lengthy extent of graves of the unknown soldiers. In my opinion, this song is worthy of a lot of thought and public critical attention.
"Only Seventeen": The first couple of times I heard this one, I thought (and said to some of my friends): "He must've seen a friend of mine at the local 7/11 when she was 17" because I'm fairly sure that she looked then the way she looks now - a whole helluva lot older than her real age. So after reading John's explanation for the song, yeah - I can see that! Also the musical influences - I heard them too - especially CSN. I like this song; it's fun in an up-beat light-hearted way.
"One of the Lucky Ones": One of the first things that struck me about this song is that it tells a full story - I love when a song does that - within a few short verses and choruses, some songs tell a story better than a 15-page "short" story or even an 800-page novel. From that writing perspective, such a narrative needs to have a beginning, middle and an end with a plot and a high point right before the conclusion. This song does that, and perhaps that part of it excites me from the literary standpoint. In addition, the musical narrative moves right alongside the story.
The song raises a question: a question almost anyone could ask: "Why am I one of the lucky ones?" The first few times I heard the song, I wondered which catastrophe was the inspiration. It turns out, from John's explanation, that it was inspired by the aftermath of the tsunami; but the truth of the matter is that the song works across the board - for anything bad that has happened anywhere and at any time within the last five years till very recently. I'm sure there are people of all ages and walks of life out there right now thinking, "Why them? Why not me? And what can I do to help?"
Besides raising the question of "Why them and not me?" the song then takes the main character through several emotions including relief at being lucky, and then to guilt and finally to the knowledge that the fact that he was one of the lucky ones gives him the ability to help the ones who weren't so lucky in the first place. How many others would have taken that good luck and turned and walked away?
Like "All For You", I think that "One of the Lucky Ones" is worthy of a lot more thought and public critical attention.
"See Us Shine": One of my all-time favorite songs has always been "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" so it's no real quandary to figure out why I like "See Us Shine" so much. This song feeds right into what I believe about the human race - no matter class or sex or religion or political views - no matter where we come from or the color of our face - we are all the same at the very core of ourselves and if we tap the innermost part of ourselves and do the right thing whenever needed, we can shine, we can rise above the hatred and the worst parts of humanity, and then there might be hope for the world. Yeah. And what a terrific positive way to end a great 5-song EP. With hope for a brighter tomorrow.
Thank you, John Batdorf. You've delivered. And then some.
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Batdorf & Rodney / John &Mark
Manufacturer: It's About Music ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000BNMEMI |
Product Description
Batdorf & Rodney - John & Mark Previously unreleased live recordings by Batdorf & Rodney before "Off the Shelf" recorded on October 24, 1970 in Las Vegas at a rehearsal just before playing their audition for Atlantic Records. This is not a "studio" recording and is not a perfect sound recording either since it was captured on two room mics but it does offer some songs that we've never heard before and plenty of banter from our favorite duo. For those of us who treasure Batdorf & Rodney, this is a "must own" artifact that takes us back in time to simpler and happier days. Songs on this album are: 1. Oh My Surprise 2. And I See It Now 3. Beauty of Life 4. Eternal Happiness 5. Can You See Him 6. Can You See Him (Jam) 7. Where Were You And I 8. Wastin' My Time 9. The Love That I Can See 10. My Heart Has To Say 11. Love Is The Only Way 12. It's Not Over 13. And She's Mine 14. She Loves Me All songs by John BatdorfListen at: http://store.yahoo.com/itsaboutmusic/johnbatdorf.htmlRap Music:
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- Blues at Sunrise
- Bonnaroo Music Festival 2004 [Live]
- Breathing Tornados
- By Your Side
- Colour by Numbers [Extra tracks]
- Command Performances: The Essential 60's Masters II
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Karchin: Galactic Folds/Songs Of Distance & Light/Ricercare/Sonata For Violoncello & Piano
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Music: That Reminds Me of Hank
I Advance Masked [Import] [Limited Edition]
I Grandi Successi Originali [Import]
Mahler: Symphony No. 10 (Reconstructed by Joe Wheeler)
I Will Go With You (Con Te Partiro) (Remixes) [CD-single]
Introducing Pastor K. R. Woods & the Covenant Worship Center Choir